


Dark Hearts

by UndercoverAvenger



Category: Seduce Me (Visual Novel), Seduce Me: the Otome - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Male Reader x Reverse Harem, Male Reader x Seduce Me, Seduce Me x reader, Seduce Me: the Otome, Seduce me x Male Reader, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-02-18 21:36:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13108980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndercoverAvenger/pseuds/UndercoverAvenger
Summary: When (M/N) and his sister are left in possession of their grandfather's manor upon his death, they were definitely not expecting to find five gorgeous incubi unconscious in their front room, much less for (M/N) to catch the demon brothers' attention.Even as (M/N) and the brothers grow closer, danger looms overhead and secrets are dragged into the light. Can (M/N) balance his new-found love life and unravelling the secrets of his childhood, or will his mysterious past just lead to a trail of dark hearts?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> There are literally ZERO reader-inserts for the "Seduce Me" games, let alone Male Reader-Inserts. I intend to fix that. And yes, this is Male Reader x ALL of the brothers.
> 
> This story has the potential to have smut in later chapters (idk yet, we'll see), so be warned. 
> 
> I'm not sure how long this story will be, or how frequently I'll update, so please don't ask.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story!  
> -UndercoverAvenger

The air was still and silent, weighing heavily on (M/N)'s broad suit jacket-clad shoulders. His (e/c) eyes scanned the emptying graveyard before locking onto the shaking form of his crying younger sister.

 

(M/N) pushed past his father, glaring harshly as the man opened his mouth to make some undoubtedly dickish comment. The (h/c)-haired male completely ignored his father in favor of wrapping a comforting arm around his sister's shoulders, careful not to snag Mika's dark hair as he took his place beside her. The two gazed forlornly down at their grandfather's gravestone before them.

 

(M/N)'s (e/c) eyes shot upwards when the family lawyer began to speak, "According to the last will and testament of the late Harold Anderson, his estate is to be shared by Miss Mika Anderson and Mr. (M/N) Anderson. He has specified that they are to move in as soon as possible. Both the estate and all of its furnishings now belong to (M/N) and Mika." The lawyer's watery blue eyes met (M/N)'s over the thin rim of his glasses before he continued, "Both the contents of the library and the study were left solely to (M/N) and are to be used to his discretion."

 

Mr. Anderson interrupted, turning the conversation to the topic of the fate of the business. (M/N) took this as his cue to leave, quickly making plans to meet Mika at the manor the following day (as his father wouldn't settle for a later date, and, as Mika wasn't yet legally an adult, (M/N), who was nineteen, had to move in at the same time) before embracing his mother. (M/N) pressed a brotherly kiss to Mika's forehead before jogging back to his car.

 

(M/N) had packing to get done.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 The next morning (M/N) met Mika juse beyond the ornate front gate of their new home, having parked his car in the large driveway of the house. The two approached the front door together and (M/N) placed his hand on the doorknob.

 

He looked at his sister, "Are you ready?" He asked. Mika nodded and (M/N) pushed the door open.

 

(M/N) paused. "Mika?" He asked, "Why the FUCK are their five wounded young men in our foyer?!"


	2. Why are These Random People in Our House?!

When you pushed the door open, you and Mika were met with a surprising sight: five unconscious young men lying, bleeding, on the dark wooded floor of the entryway to your new home.

 

"Mika," you began, voice low and questioning, "who the FUCK are these guys and why are they in our house?!"

 

Mika's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, somewhat akin to a fish gasping for air, "I- I don't- I'm not sure!" It was clear Mika was beginning to panic and that you'd have to be the one to take charge of the situation.

 

You strode forward cautiously, making sure to keep an eye on each of the unconscious boys as you approached the one closest to the door. As you reached him, you took in the way the light gleamed against his light russet hair, as well as the slightly ripped up red shirt and lighter colored vest that clung to his chest. Kneeling down beside the young man, you pressed your palm against his chest, barely registering the feeling of his heartbeat against your fingertips due to your surprise when his hand snapped around your wrist. The male's violet eyes snapped open, locking onto your (e/c) ones and a smirk slid onto his face.

 

"Who are you people?!" Mika cried out from the doorway and your head snapped over to look at her. "Get away from me!" She exclaimed.

 

One of the males had picked himself up off of the floor and stumbled over to her, "you're going to let me kiss you," he growled, green eyes flashing dangerously in the dim light of the room, sandy hair tousled like he'd been in a fight.

 

Your jaw clenched, and you made to stand ready to deck this douchebag when the redhead holding your wrist tugged you gently back into your previous kneeling stance. His eyes met yours and your anger ebbed away, you leaned forward...

 

Only to jerk back when a deep voice called out from behind you. "Sam, stop it." the voice commanded. You turned, realizing that the other boys had regained consciousness and that the speaker had been the tall dark haired male with a pair of glasses resting elegantly on the bridge of his nose.

 

Sam (the one who'd kissed your sister) reluctantly pulled away. "Fine..." he whined, clearly unhappy with the situation. Mika was left dazed, but you had regained your senses.

 

You shot to your feet, storming up to Sam. "Who the hell do you think you are demanding that my little sister kiss you?!" You exclaimed angrily, towering intimidatingly over the green-eyed male.

 

"Please forgive my brother," the dark-haired male began, "he's a bit reckless." he glared at Sam accusingly.

 

Sam grinned smugly, "At least I feel a hell of a lot better than you right now." He sang, tauntingly.

 

"Because you used your abilities on her!" The glasses wearing brother exclaimed, running a hand through his hair exasperatedly.

 

The male who you'd attempted to check on earlier chose this moment to butt into the conversation, "Ugh, Sam you're such a brute! Attempting to take advantage of such a lovely young woman as her!"

 

You deliberately stepped in front of Mika, using your muscular frame to block her from the brothers' vision as the fourth male pushed himself to his feet and stumbled over. "Guys, can we not all fight right now?" He pleaded, wide blue eyes looking pleadingly at each of the other boys. "Not all of us are in the best state." He said pointedly.

 

The brothers seemed to agree with the newcomer and the final male made his way over, then all eyes were back on you. Mika made a confused noise from behind you and the red headed male's gaze locked onto her, "Did you say something, beautiful?" He asked smoothly.

 

3\. 2. 1. You thought, and just as you reached one, Mika exploded. "WHAT'S GOING ON?!?!?! WHY ARE YOU ALL IN OUR HOUSE AND WHY ARE YOU BLEEDING?!?!?!" She whirled to face San accusingly, "YO-YOU KISSED ME! WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!"

 

You chuckled lowly at the stunned look on the boys' faces. "Well," you managed through your laughter, "She asked you a question, several in fact, you should probably answer them."

 

The redhead's eyes locked onto you once more, "And who might you be, gorgeous?" He drawled, approaching you and tilting your chin down so he could meet your eyes, "Surely you have a wonderful name to go with such a handsome face."

 

You laughed again, watching as Mika showed that she wasn't going to put up with Sam's bullshit, before you pulled away. You gently removed his hand from your face and straightened up, making it clear just how much taller you were. "That's not important right now, is it? I'd rather know why you are in our house." Mika nodded in agreement, moving to stand at your side.

 

The dark haired male sighed, steppingstone forward, "I am sorry for our intrusion; we didn't think this house belonged to anyone, nor did we have time to consider that possibility." He explained, "we only just managed to escape a fight for our lives."

 

"Okay..." Mika began, "but that still doesn't explain why he kissed me! He had no right to do that!"

 

The redhead stepped closer, "well, lovely flustered lady, we aren't exactly... normal." He grinned.

 

"What, are you guys demons or something?" You ask sarcastically, throwing an arm comfortably over Mika's shoulders.

 

"Well, yeah, actually," Laughed the blue-eyed boy, "something like that!"

 

At Mika's shocked look, "the tallest of the group continued, "We're incubi, miss. A breed of demon that feed off of the sexual energy of humans to survive."

 

"Prove it." She demanded calmly.

 

"Alright," drawled the smirking redhead as he crept closer. He pressed his lips to Mika's before pulling away a few seconds later.

 

You scrambled to catch Mika as she promptly fainted.


	3. Meeting the Boys

You looked up from the form of your unconscious sister, awkwardly making eye contact with the tallest of the brothers. You sarcastically raised an eyebrow, "Would you mind if we came back to this conversation in a few minutes? I seem to have something else to deal with at the moment," you gestured toward your sister.

 

The brothers chuckled, before their apparent leader nodded, "Of course." He gestured toward his quiet russet haired companion, "Please, take Damien with you; he can keep an eye on her until she awakens."

 

Your (e/c) eyes scanned the male quickly as you appraised his trustworthyness. You nodded hesitantly, "Well, I trust him more than the rest of you... Fine." You gingerly lifted your sister into your arms before carrying her up one of the staircases that curled down the edges of the large room, Damien trailing behind you quietly.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

When you'd settled your sister into one of the master bedrooms, you turned to go back to the foyer only for Damien to stop you. "They've moved into the sitting room. They're awaiting your return." He explained quietly.

 

You raised an eyebrow questioningly, before nodding. "Thank you," you acknowledged, before glancing at Mika's sleeping form, "When she wakes up, please bring her down to meet with us." Damien only bowed his head agreeably.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

You sauntered into the sitting room confidently, taking notice of the way the males' eyes locked onto you as soon as you'd entered the room. The way brunet's shoulders tensed and his eyes narrowed from his seat in one of the chairs beside the window on the far wall. The redhead leaning forward on the couch, violet eyes trailing the length of your form, and his smirk broadening. The blue eyed boy cocking his head slightly from his place behind his red headed brother, seemingly interested in what was going to happen.

 

And then your eyes met the golden pair belonging to the apparent leader of the group. He was sitting confidently in the sole chair that faced the door, one leg crossed deftly over the other and his chin resting on his enterlaced fingers. He straightened up slightly upon meeting your icy (e/c) gaze.

 

You squared your shoulders, acutely aware of how intimidating your tall, muscular stature could make you seem and using that to your advantage. You strode into the room, choosing to stand in such a position that you were perfectly within the view of each of the brothers. "Who are all of you," you began commandingly, "and why are you in my house?"

 

The male who had been behaving as though he were the one in charge leaned forward a bit, the leather of the chair he was occupying squeaking slightly, "I am James, the eldest." The light glinted off of his glasses, flaring brightly before dimming once more, as he turned toward his green-clad brother, "That is Sam, the third son," the brunet looked at you challengingly from his place beside the window. "That is Erik, the second son," James explained, gesturing toward the male leaning toward you flirtatiously from the couch. Erik licked his lips teasingly. "Behind him is Matthew, the fourth son."

 

Your eyes locked back into James, "And the one with my sister is Damien, correct?" He nodded.

 

"As for why we are here, we were caught in a fight that could've ended our lives. We came across your manor, which we thought was unoccupied, and took shelter from our attackers." You nodded thoughtfully, sinking onto the plush leather of the couch occupied by Erik as James continued. "We intend to leave as soon as we are able to defeat the group of devils targeting us."

 

You ran a hand through your short (h/c) hair thoughtfully, "Devils, huh?" You muttered to yourself. "Then the whole 'incubi shtick was true?"

 

Erik hummed in confirmation beside you, "Of course it was, my dear." He purred, running his hand along the rippling muscle of your bicep. You met his violet gaze unflinchingly, "Though I'd be more than pleased if you'd like me to prove it..." he trailed off flirtatiously.

 

You rolled your eyes, "I don't think now's the time... Perhaps another time, another place?" you leaned closer to Erik, gingerly pushing a lock of his hair behind his ear and growling a quiet statement of, "my bedroom, perhaps?" into his ear before turning, chuckling, back to his brothers and dutifully ignoring the blushing male beside you.

 

"Alright, I know who you are, what you are, and why you are here." You began, leaning forward seriously, "I am inclined to allow the five of you to stay here for the time being," the brothers looked incredibly shocked, "however, you will be expected to follow a few rules without exception. First, you will be expected to help out around the house a bit. Second, you will not harm anyone in this house. Third, if someone says no to giving you energy, you WILL respect that." The boys all seemed to agree with what you'd said. "And finally, DO NOT force my sister to do anything she doesn't want to do; I am willing to give you as much energy as you require, so please, don't make my sister uncomfortable in her own home."

 

James glanced around at his brothers, before meeting your eyes. "Yes, I think we can abide by those terms. Thank you for your hospitality, now if it's alright with you, we'd like to make you, and your sister, dinner as a show of our gratitude." He paused, as if he'd been struck with a realization, "We've yet to learn your name."

 

You stood, grinning down at James, "It's (M/N). (M/N) Anderson."


	4. We're Hosting a Party?!

A few hours later the boys had finished dinner and were in the process of setting the table. You had just taken your seat at the head of the table (James had insisted, claiming that you “are the master of the house, and should be treated thusly.”) when Mika stumbled in, followed by Damien. 

 

You cleared your throat before you began to speak, “Ah, Damien, Mika, nice of you two to join us.” You glanced up from the table in front of you, your (e/c) eyes meeting Damien’s blue-violet ones. “Damien, I presume that  you are aware of you and your brothers’ current situation and its conditions?” He nodded demurely, and you continued thoughtfully. “Mika, you’re likely still entirely in the dark, aren’t you?”

 

Your sister furrowed her eyebrows, gazing down the long oak table at you inquisitively. “What aren’t you telling me, (M/N)?” She asked as she slowly made her way to take the seat to your right.

 

You paused, contemplating the best way to broach the topic, “Grandfather always told us to put others before ourselves and to do what we could to aid others. Well, tonight I have followed his advice,” you glanced over at your younger sister as you spoke, “I have invited these young men to stay in the house with us until they are able to defeat the group targeting them. I have set a series of ground rules that they have all agreed to abide by.”

 

Mika looked shocked that you had made such a rash decision, especially since you’d be known to consider all of your options in the past when you’d been consulted on decisions related to the company or your personal life. “I- I guess that’s alright. I trust you.” She stated quietly as she took her place at your side. At that moment, the remainder of the brothers trailed into the room, most carrying at least two plates of food, which they set gently on the table before taking their seats around you and Mika.

 

Sam and Matthew were quick to dig into the food, whereas James and Eric took the time to introduce themselves to Mika. Damien quietly served himself some food and began eating. You merely sat observing the  odd collection of people at your table.

 

Scarcely a few minutes had passed when Mika’s phone rang. Your attention caught, you turned from the arm-wrestling competition that’d broken out between Sam and Matthew (Matthew was losing terribly, anyway) to face your sister. “Hi, Mom.” Her panicked eyes met yours, “Everything’s fine. We’re just eating dinner right now…” Mika had always been a terrible liar. You extended your hand, gesturing for your sister to hand you the phone. “Oh! (M/N) would like to speak with you if that’s alright?” She nodded before passing you the phone.

 

“Hello, Mother,” you exclaimed cheerily, “How are things at home?”

 

Your mother sighed, “Much quieter now that neither of you live at home anymore…” she trailed off slightly, and you could hear the quiet murmur of your father’s voice in the background. “Well, your father wanted me to call and talk to you about hosting a house party tomorrow night, to celebrate the new house and all?”

 

Your brows furrowed slightly in frustration, “A house party tomorrow night? Isn’t it a bit soon?” you paused, “Wait, it’s father we’re talking about. I’m surprised he waited  _ this _ long.” You sighed begrudgingly, “Fine, we’ll figure it out. See you tomorrow night, Mother.” You ended the call and tossed the phone on the table. You ran a hand through your short (h/c) locks, glancing at the curious other members of the table. “Apparently we are hosting a house party tomorrow evening.” you stated by means of explanation.

 

“Hey, why don't we help you?” Matthew offered cheerily. “That’s what we’re here for, right?”

 

Mika glanced at you, judging your reaction before responding to Matthew’s offer. “It’d be fantastic to have you guys’ help!” she exclaimed.

 

Sam opened his mouth to complain but you cut him off tiredly, “It would be great to have the extra hands if you guys are willing.”

 

James glanced around at his brothers before his golden eyes met your (e/c) ones, “I don't see why not.” he smiled politely.

 

You let out a relieved sigh, shoulders slumping slightly, “Thank you,” you made eye contact with each of the brothers, “All of you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Tasks were being divided up the next morning over breakfast.

 

 

...Or they were about to be when your sister’s best friends called and announced that they were outside. Matthew went to get the door before anyone could stop him.

 

The door swung open and Matthew froze, “Uhhh, umm.” He glanced nervously at the rest of the table’s occupants before looking back to the girls, Suzu and Naomi. “Uhh, hi?” He finished lamely, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

 

You groaned, facepalming, as your sister and James stood, before forcing yourself to your feet and walking after them. “Who are you?” The shorter of the visitors, Suzu, asked cautiously.

 

The rest of the brothers joined you as you watched your younger sister scramble for an explanation. You cut her off, “What my sister is trying to say, is that they are our servants.”

 

James jumped into the story perfectly, easily continuing with a smooth, “We must apologize, ladies. We know this situation must be confusing for everyone.” You could practically feel James’ sarcasm, but Mika’s friends seemed to be buying the story. “We are the Andersons’ house servants. We were hired by the late Mr. Anderson to help around the mansion, but since he passed, we now assist Mr. and Miss. Anderson with living on their own.”

 

The two seemed appeased and the residents of the house breathed a sigh of relief. “We were wondering if we could borrow Mika for the afternoon? Just to hang out, you know?” Naomi began timidly.

 

“Yeah!” Suzu exclaimed, “Like going to the arcade or something!”

 

“Well, we don't wish to disturb you any further so we’ll take our leave and start preparing the house.” James exclaimed hurriedly and the brothers scattered, each moving to begin a task. 

 

“Mika,” you began, noting the clear indecisiveness on your sister’s face, “Why don't you go out with your friends? I’ll assist the servants in preparing for the house party tonight. You just be back on time, alright?” Your sister gratefully smiled up at you and giving you a quick hug before leaving with her friends.

 

**_Now,_ you pondered as you shut the front door behind the laughing trio of girls, _who to help first?_ **


	5. Party Preparations

You stood beside the window as your sister left with her friends. You sighed, running a hand down your face.  _ The things I put up with to keep her happy _ , you thought to yourself, watching Suzu’s car disappear down the long driveway.  _ Now, to help the boys. _

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Your first stop was to help Damien in preparing the lobby. As you entered the room Damien glanced up at you from his place beside the sitting area near the staircases, where he had been polishing one of the end tables.

 

The auburn-haired male stood and approached you, quietly handing you a dust cloth. “We have to dust off the railings and other surfaces before we mop the floor,” he explained. “Is that okay?” He questioned nervously.

 

You nodded, taking the rag from him agreeably. “Of course,” you stated as you rolled up the sleeves of your shirt, hoping to avoid getting it too dirty.

 

T he two of you had just begun to climb the staircases, dusting off the railings as you went, when you were struck by an idea. You glanced over at Damien, who looked back at you questioningly. A sly grin crept over your face and you dropped your rag and raced to the apex of the two staircases, where you slung one leg over the railing to your side of the dual set of stairs.

 

“What if you get hurt?” Damien’s concerned voice echoed slightly in the large empty room. You glanced over, taking in the worried furrow of his brow and the anxious look in his violet eyes.

 

You let out a quiet sigh, “I won’t; I did this all the time when I lived here a few years ago!” You smirked, “Besides, it’ll be fun, Damien!”

 

He looked at you, deep in thought, before sighing softly and nodding. He climbed the stairs, mimicking your position on his side of the staircase. You looked at each other, and in unison the two of you pushed off the railing, soaring down the banister with the wind flowing through your hair.

 

There was a lot of thought on the execution, but not much to stopping.

 

“Ahh! Watch out!” Damien exclaimed as the two of you quickly approached the ends of your railings.

 

The two of you slammed into each other, the curve of the staircases altering your trajectory just enough to throw you against one another and halt your momentum. You both landed on the floor, with him staring up at you in concern and you gazing down at him in surprise from your place on top of him. You chuckled weakly, “Oops,” you said by means of apology as you rolled off of the ginger.

 

He grinned at you, before bursting into laughter. You joined him, letting your laughter consume you. The two of you enjoyed the moment before you pushed yourself to your feet and held out your hand to the other male, “C’mon, we still have work to do.” 

 

He smiled, taking your hand and allowing you to pull him to his feet. “You were right; that was fun!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

When you’d finished helping Damien with the lobby, you made your way into the dining room to aide Erik. The table needed to be extended, the floors needed waxed and polished, and most of the surfaces in the room were covered in a thick layer of dust.

 

Erik entered the room, setting a mop and bucket at his feet before glancing at you with a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to help me with cleaning this place up? It’ll be a lot of cleaning and tidying, plus we need to move all of the chairs out of the way.”

 

You nodded, moving toward the chairs, “Trust me, I can handle lifting a couple chairs.” You lifted two of them to make a point, carrying them to the edge of the room with ease. Erik chuckled, grabbing the next few chairs, and soon you’d moved on to cleaning the table.

 

After standing and stretching out your arms, you moved to pick up a clean washcloth from the bucket as Erik moved to clean the opposite edge of the table. He let out an undignified squeak as his foot caught on a fold in the rug and he pitched forward. As he fell, you snapped into action; you swiftly grabbed onto his bicep, the force stopping his sudden descent and turning him midair. Your other arm locked around his shoulders to help him regain his balance, leaving the two of you in a dance-like dip.

 

You looked down at him, concerned, “Are you alright?”

 

Erik nodded, stunned, “I- I am. Thank you.” It was almost cute to see him so shocked; he was practically speechless.  _ This is certainly a new side of him _ , you thought,  _ No flirtation, and not a trace of his usual smirk… _ You sighed in relief, helping him regain his balance as you guided him back to an upright position.

 

“That’s good,” you stated with a smile.

 

He looked up at you, a slow smirk sliding over his face, “You know, it’s all thanks to you that I didn’t end up getting hurt. I guess that makes you my knight in shining armour.”

 

You chuckled, smiling at the redhead as you moved to get back to work. “Of course it does, princess.” you teased, sticking your tongue out at Erik.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

When you and Erik finished with the dining room, you made your way to the kitchen to help Matthew prepare dinner for the guests. You sauntered into the kitchen to find the raven-haired boy quickly slicing strawberries and placing them into a bowl.

 

“What’re you making?” you asked curiously as you swiped a strawberry from the bowl and popped it into your mouth.

 

Matthew scowled playfully at you, before he answered, “I’m making a big batch of strawberry cupcakes.” He explained, “These strawberries are going to be the toppings.” He grinned at you.

 

“Sounds good.” You stole another bit of strawberry from the bowl, “Would you like some help?”

 

Matthew smiled up at you, “Yeah!” He exclaimed cheerfully, before sheepishly adding, “I kind of hoped you would.” he cleared his throat, embarrassed. “Would you mind starting on the batter for the cupcakes? There’s directions and ingredients on the counter over there…” He pointed to the counter adjacent to the one he’d been working at.

 

“Sure,” you said, nodding as you took your place and got to work.

 

Just after you’d placed the cupcakes in the oven, Matthew approached you and raised a hand toward your face. He paused and you simply raised an eyebrow at his hesitation. His blue eyes narrowed slightly and he gently brushed a hand over your cheek. His fingers gently glided over your skin, brushing away a streak of flour that’d landed on your face. “You uhh… got a stain…” he stuttered timidly. He was clearly anxious; his hand shook slightly where it touched your face, and he was being absurdly gentle. Matthew pulled away, biting his lip and pulling his hand to his chest as he took a deep breath, “S-sorry, um… I got it all?” he laughed nervously.

 

“Oh, thank you.” you grinned down at the shorter male before you. “If it weren’t for you, I probably would’ve shown up to the party like that.” you joked, Matthew laughing joyfully as the two of you got back to work.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

When you’d finished your work in the kitchen, you meandered your way outside and caught sight of James working in the garden. You made your way over as James took a deep breath and rolled up his sleeves. He glanced in your direction at the sound of your approach, “Come to help?” he questioned. You nodded and, at your agreement, he continued, “We need to cater to the plants and make sure there are no muddy spots in the grass.”

 

You rolled your shoulders and kneeled down beside James in front of one of the flowerbeds. “Got it.” you acknowledged. James handed you a watering can before picking up a trowel.

 

The two of you worked in companionable silence for nearly an hour before James chose to break the silence. “Why did you choose to join me out here?” he asked.

 

You straightened up, wiping a bead of sweat from your forehead. “Truth be told, I’d rather work outside,” you explained, “And you?” you asked, “Why did you choose to clean up the gardens?”

 

James hummed thoughtfully, golden eyes glancing at you intelligently. “I’ve learned secrets about flowers.” he began, standing and making his way to your side. “Flowers need to be cared for gently; they’re as fragile as a life.” His eyes met yours and you got the feeling he was speaking about more than a simple piece of flora. “To much force and they’ll break, but too little and they’ll wither and fade away.”

 

His words echoed in your mind, dragging up memories of your Grandfather. You’d always been much closer to him than the rest of your family (well, with the exception of Mika) and for good reason; when your father asked you to leave the family home a few years prior, he was quick to take you in.

 

You shook your head, pushing away the memories; those could be dealt with at another time. You and James worked side by side until the garden was returned to its former glory.

 

Having helped James with the garden, you wandered around the front of the house, intending to help Sam fix up the front yard.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

...Except Sam wasn’t working as you came around the corner of the house. He’d taken up refuge in the shade of one of the massive oak trees residing in front of the manor and was practicing taichi, a form of martial arts that you and Mika had learned when you took taekwondo classes together as children.

 

You approached him stealthily, standing before him and glaring when he opened his eyes. He let out an annoyed huff at your appearance before continuing the slow motions of the taichi pattern he was working through. “Aren’t we supposed to be cleaning the front yard?” you prompted.

 

Sam smirked, eyes remaining closed. “You were taking too long. I already finished cleaning.” he stated, bored.

 

You froze, eyes darting across the yard. The grass had been cut, the windows had been cleaned, the stairs swept, and the weeds pulled. Even the sconces of the porch lights had been polished. He had really finished cleaning, even though it’d only been a few hours since you all had disbanded to begin your chores. “Wow, you work fast.” you complimented.

 

Sam didn’t respond, instead simply continuing his taichi. You moved to stand beside him, quickly falling into the rhythm of the motions and letting the energy flow through you. When he noticed what you were doing, Sam cautiously questioned you, “What’re you doing?” He asked.

 

“Taichi. What does it look like, dumbass?” You asked sarcastically.

 

“This isn’t supposed to be fun,” Sam scoffed, “It’s actually supposed to be difficult.”

 

“I know,” you stated simply, carrying on with the movements. “I trained in various martial arts for years. So did Mika.” you explained. He opened one eye to look at you, before closing it once again to focus on his rhythm.

 

It was quite peaceful…. Until a loud car horn from the street startled you, causing you to trip onto Sam. “OOF!! H-Hey!” he gasped as you landed on him, “Watch it!” he snarled.

 

“Sorry!” You exclaimed as you moved to get up, freezing as your (e/c) eyes locked onto his bright emerald ones. Your hands were positioned on either side of his shoulders to hold your weight off of him and his legs were tangled with yours. You could feel his heart pounding where your chests touched. The world faded away slowly as you gazed into his eyes.

 

Then the car alarm from before blared harshly again and you were brought back to reality. You scrambled off of Sam, apologizing profusely. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, “Man, watch where you’re going next time…”

 

You smirked, hiding the awkwardness you felt about the situation, “Are you saying we’ll be in that position again?” you taunted, chuckling as Sam flushed a bright red.

 

“W-WHAT?!” he exclaimed, shocked.

 

You laughed loudly, turning to head back to the house with Sam’s loud protests and threats echoing across the grounds behind you.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Now that the house was ready for guests, it was time for you to make yourself presentable as well. 


	6. Unexpected Guests

Around an hour later, you were walking down one of the curving stairways into the foyer clad in a freshly pressed pair of slacks paired with a charcoal dress shirt and a scarlet tie. You’d rolled up the sleeves of the shirt to make it seem a bit more casual. You were stunned when you glanced up from doing your tie only to see each of the five brothers standing professionally in the lobby, each dressed in a classy-looking suit and tie.

 

James was wearing a standard black suit over a white shirt, but he had added a silky-looking gold vest under his jacket. His glasses looked freshly polished and his shoes were immaculately shined.

 

Matthew also wore a vest under his suit jacket, though his was a cheery shade of blue that matched his eyes. His suit clung well to his slender build, but doing nothing to detract from his natural friendly-demeanor.

 

Sam, instead of buttoning his suit jacket over a vest, had chosen to wear his jacket open, exposing an emerald green cummerbund. His hair was still as messily styled as ever and he still had a somewhat pissed-off look on his face.

 

Damien, not wanting to stand out too much, had chosen a simple black suit with a white shirt. He’d added a small indigo pocket-square, but chose to leave his outfit relatively simple. He appeared to be hoping to avoid being noticed.

 

Erik, on the other hand, clearly intended to stand out. He had chosen to wear a deep maroon dress shirt, pairing it with a jacket that closed much lower on his chest than his brothers’ suits did. Even his posture set the auburn-haired male apart from his brothers; his stance was casual, making him seem easy to approach, but his gaze was just a bit too sultry for (M/N) to feel comfortable letting his guard down.

 

Just then, the boys took notice of (M/N), and made their way over to him. The group swiftly went over the plan for the evening (a brief social, before a nice dinner, and then politely kick everyone out), before pausing as they heard Mika’s heels thudding slightly against the carpeted stairs.

 

(M/N) turned, taking in the sight of his baby sister. Mika was dressed in a pretty deep red dress with the sleeves drooping elegantly off of her shoulders. The fabric of her dress whispered quietly as it trailed across the carpet. The (h/c) helped his sister down the last several steps before wrapping her in a hug. “You look beautiful, sis.” he said quietly, the edges of his lips quirking upwards in a grin.

 

“You look great too,” She smirked, ruffing her brother’s hair and ignoring his protests, “Or you would if you could ever tame that bird’s nest that you call hair.”

 

The brothers laughed heartily at the Anderson siblings’ antics, everyone freezing at the sound of the doorbell. (M/N) straightened up, swiftly fixing his hair as he locked eyes with each of the people in the room. He grinned, “Good luck everybody; it’s showtime.”

 

Matthew and Damien opened the front doors, welcoming in the first guests of the night.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

You spent the next few hours conversing easily with your father’s business associates, effortlessly leaving them with a good impression. Every question asked to you was met with a calm, well thought-out response. Every introduction was polite you made it a point to remember the names of each of the people you met. All the while, keeping an eye on how Mika was faring with your parents across the room; she seemed to have everything under control.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

By the time the party ended, no one had any doubts that either you or your sister were a positive asset to the company and that your parents had raised the two of you well. Your parents were the last to leave, your mother clearly telling you that she was proud of you while your father only gave each of you a swift pat on the shoulder before he lead your mother out of the manor.

 

You sighed, looking over your sister and each of the boys, “Thank god that’s over.” You quickly proceeded to undo your tie and toss it over the railing of the staircase, mentally reminding yourself to grab it on your way back to your room. You turned to the boys, “Now, to help you guys stop whoever is targeting you.”

 

The doors slammed open behind you, devious laughter filling the foyer. You spun to face the intruder as he sneered at the group, “It didn’t take long to find you little shits, after all~!” Your eyes locked onto the form of a cocky young man. His skin was a light shade of ruby, silver locks falling delicately into his golden eyes. The pointed tips of his ears peaked through the waves of his pale hair. A smirk covered the young man’s face. You could hear James assuring your sister that no one would hurt her, but you couldn’t bring yourself to look away from the devilish male before you. “Are you sure about that?” The boy sneered, “Are you really sure that no one will hurt her?” he snarled.

 

The brothers remained silent, but you could hear them placing themselves between Mika and the platinum-haired young man. Sam stepped in front of you; blocking you from the intruder. Your eyes narrowed.

 

“They might not be sure, but I am,” you smirked confidently, stepping into view from your place behind Sam. The male’s topaz eyes snapped over to you, widening as they locked onto you. “Hello again, Malix.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've taken a little bit of a break from this book, but in that time I've been able to make some decisions as to how I want this story to go. I played through the second game and replayed the first half of the Otome. I'm planning on writing through the events of the first game, as well as a brunt of the second, before ending the book with a split into a route for each brother and one for each of a couple of (surprise) characters.
> 
> Sorry to keep you guys waiting!


	7. Taking Orders

The doors slammed open behind you, devious laughter filling the foyer. You spun to face the intruder as he sneered at the group, “It didn’t take long to find you little shits, after all~!” Your eyes locked onto the form of a cocky young man. His skin was a light shade of ruby, silver locks falling delicately into his golden eyes. The pointed tips of his ears peaked through the waves of his pale hair. A smirk covered the young man’s face. You could hear James assuring your sister that no one would hurt her, but you couldn’t bring yourself to look away from the devilish male before you. “Are you sure about that?” The boy sneered, “Are you really sure that no one will hurt her?” he snarled.

 

The brothers remained silent, but you could hear them placing themselves between Mika and the platinum-haired young man. Sam stepped in front of you; blocking you from the intruder. Your eyes narrowed.

 

“They might not be sure, but I am,” you smirked confidently, stepping into view from your place behind Sam. The male’s topaz eyes snapped over to you, widening as they locked onto you. “Hello again, Malix.”

 

The devil’s eyes widened as they met yours and his mouth dropped open slightly, “(M-M/N)?!” Malix asked incredulously. You smirked in response, watching as his eyes shot from you to the boys and your sister behind them. “What the Hell are you doing with punks like these?” His eyes narrowed as Sam stepped closer to you, placing a protective hand on your shoulder. His eyes flitted across each of the incubi’s faces, taking in their nervousness, “Aw, what’s the matter boys? You really didn’t think that I wouldn’t find you, did you?” He cackled.

 

Sam’s hand tensed on your shoulder as he snarled at Malix, “I was hoping you would, you piece of-” You cut him off, pushing him back easily as you stepped toward your unexpected guest.

 

“Malix,” your voice was cold, “You need to leave.”

 

His brows lowered, “If you think that I’m still taking orders from you, then you’re wrong.” He growled, voice lowered threateningly as he raised his pistol, “Matter of fact, why don’t I show you just how wrong you are?” He aimed the gun at the middle of Sam’s chest and pulled the trigger, the shot echoing through the massive room. Everyone gasped, expecting Sam to drop to the floor with a bullet buried in his chest, but you didn’t so much as blink.

 

“What the fuck?!” exclaimed Malix, thoroughly surprised that Sam remained standing, utterly unharmed. He pulled the trigger again and again, growing increasingly more aggravated as it continued releasing blanks. Loud, but ultimately harmless. “Why the fuck won’t this work?” He hissed angrily.

 

You smirked lightly, as you looked to Damien to explain for you. Reading your thoughts, the redhead grinned slightly. “This place is protected; there is a seal on the estate preventing the use of Hell-borne magic.”

 

Malix glanced between the two of you, golden eyes narrowing, “What the _fuck_ is that supposed to mean?!”

 

Matthew cut in, “The previous owner had this place protected by magic, Malix.”

 

“Wait,” Mika called out, “Magic?” She asked disbelievingly, clearly biting back laughter.

 

You stepped toward the red-skinned devil, hands clasped calmly behind your back, “This house used to belong to my Grandfather, who was a skilled magician. When he was alive, he placed a seal on the estate. As the house now belongs to my sister and I, I have taken it upon myself to personally uphold the seal.”

 

Malix’s eyes narrowed angrily as he glared at the boys, “Then what’s stopping me from DRAGGING YOUR ASSES OUT AND SHOOTING YOU THEN?!” He bellowed.

 

“That’d be me.” You stepped between Malix and the boys, putting yourself directly in the devil’s way. “Earlier, you claimed that you were no longer taking orders from me.” You smirked, “Well, let’s put that to the test.” You cleared your throat, fully aware of the eight pairs of eyes boring into your back. “Malix, leave. Now.” Your voice was cold and unyielding.

 

The platinum-haired devil’s jaw tensed and flexed as he fought against your hold, attempting to force away the sway of your command. He snarled, “Fine, but this isn’t over.” He turned away, storming out the front doors of the manor.

 

Your shoulders dropped as you turned to face your housemates. You grinned sheepishly as you took in their varying states of bewilderment.

 

James glanced at his companions, golden eyes coming to rest on you. He pinched the bridge of his nose, glasses shifting slightly with the movement. “I think that we’d all like to know what just happened, if you don’t mind?”  
  


You sighed, “Well, it’s kind of a long story…”

 


	8. A Discussion

You sighed, taking a seat at the head of the dining table and taking in the curious expressions of the five incubi and your sister. The boys had each claimed one of the seats along the side of the table and Mika had taken the seat directly across from you.

 

You ran a hand down your face wearily as you pondered where to start, “This is… kind of a long story, so bear with me,” you paused, clearing your throat slightly, “I guess it started when my parents kicked me out of the house because I was… different.” Your eyes met Mika’s before you abruptly looked away, knowing that she wasn’t fully aware of the real reason that your father had asked you to leave when you were a young teen, “I came to live here, with Mika and I’s grandfather. It didn’t take me long to realize that he was a magician, and he began teaching me shortly after. He taught me nearly everything that he knew by the time I graduated high school and left for college.” Your (e/c) eyes met Mika’s green ones and you paused before continuing, “The next thing I knew, I was reading a letter telling me that he’d died and inviting me to the funeral.”

 

“So,” James began cautiously, “Now we know how you came to know magic, but there’s still something that I’m curious about.” You raised an eyebrow prompting the raven-haired incubi to continue, “How do you know Malix?”

 

You chuckled bitterly, “It was rather early in my training; Grandfather had been teaching me about other beings. Things like incubi and succubi, shadow-walkers, the fae, and devils.” You grinned at the stunned look on Damien’s face, knowing that he’d read your thoughts to find out what you were going to say, “Malix was the first being that I summoned.”

 

Sam jolted in his seat, shocked, “Summoned?! You mean you made a contract with that thing?!”

 

You shrugged nonchalantly, “We made a deal, of sorts; he could use a small portion of my magic when he needed to, and in exchange he would act as my little supernatural errand boy.” You chuckled, “Naturally, Grandfather wasn’t pleased that I had made a deal with a devil behind his back, but there was nothing he could do about it. Years passed and Malix and I grew closer, we were practically inseparable when I graduated.” Your brows furrowed as you thought back, eyes lowering, “He was furious when I told him that I was leaving for college and he wouldn’t be able to come.” You glanced back up, eyes scanning the other people clustered around the table, “He disappeared that day and I hadn’t seen or heard from him since, not until tonight anyway.”

 

Erik glanced around, “I knew good looks like yours couldn’t be the work of heaven; not with the devilish gleam in your eye.” He flirted jokingly, trying to lift the atmosphere.

 

You rolled your eyes, “My looks are one hundred percent natural.” You shifted your gaze to Damien, hoping that he’d convey your question for you.

 

The male nodded, his indigo eyes meeting James’ gold ones, “(M/N) would like to know why Malix is after us.”

 

Matthew cut in quietly, “Devils are agents of chaos. It’s pretty likely that he figured that nothing would cause more chaos than killing one of the Demon Lord’s sons.” His brothers nodded in agreement.

 

You locked eyes with your sister from across the table, hoping she’d give her say on the matter. She seemed to take the hint, “Well, I’m not really sure how to feel about the fact that my brother made a deal with a devil, but since the manor is protected against Malix and his Hell-bourne magic, I think that the boys should stay here until they’re able to defeat him.”

 

You nodded consideringly, “Agreed.” You made eye contact with each of the boys, “That settles it; Mika, while you’re at school tomorrow, the boys and I will be here training.”

 

“That’s really not necessary,” James cut in.

 

You raised an eyebrow challengingly as you rose from your chair, “James, I was the one who drew Malix into this world. I find it only right if I help take him out of it.” The dark-haired male slumped back into his seat and you sighed, “Boys, as you’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future, take your pick of any of the guest rooms.” You smiled at the group, “Get some rest, everyone, tomorrow is going to be another long day.”

 


End file.
